Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-30
THE TRUE LIGHT.
Rev. Il. Esfrdsall,s sermon AT St.
PauI,s Church.

Rev. DR.. E. Birdsall chose for his text
at st. Paul's Episcopal church yester'
day the 4Oth verse of the 9th chapter Of
John: "And Jesus said: For judgment
| am come into the werld, that they
who see not might see, and they which
see might bs blind" In calculating
this DR.. Birdsall said the whole story Of
the passage this morning turns upon
the healing of blind mn. The text
gives the spiritual meaning of the
transaction. The blindness which had
shut out this poor man from the light
of day was small calamity compared
with that moral and spiritual blind.
ness which hides from sight the God
by whom we live, and the vast world
of eternal realities of which this per
ishing earth is the mere vestibule.
There is in every man sense of right
and wrong that comes not from his
animal nature. There is an ideal
of moral beauty which gives the
deepest meaning to the lovll.
ness of landscape, the charm to
the triumphs of art in music, or painting,
or poetry. What we see or hear in these
with our outward senses, carry on the
soul behind them to dim and vague glo.
ries that are of that divine world to
which our soul belongs. 1t is, we know,
when we are at our best and highest
that these things are most powerful with
us, but we know, also, there is a power
within us and around US that holds us
buck and drags us down. In all ages
men have felt both impulses. The
noblest soul in heather sin were feeling
after God and higher things. Christian.
ity explains all the mysteries of our be-
ing. Christ was from the beginning the
light that lighteneth every man that
cometh into the world. Idol worship
was q testimony of the craving of the
heart for God, and as man cannot love
and worship the vast, the vague and
measureless God, he became incar.
nate in Jesus Christ, to show us
what God is and give us a
center for our affections and aspirations
There is one man whom it is not idola.
try to adore, for in him dwelleth all of
the godhead. In the days of his flesh,
his teaching, his works and his example
he manifested the light of God to all
who came in contact with him. They
had only to allow themselves to be
drawn into the circle of his influence to
learn to see all things with his eyes and
awake to divine and higher life, and
aspire to that fulness of joy and life for
evermore of the eternal world. Every
true Christian is a great artist, heaven
born aud heaven.inspired. He has a
character and life to be moulded and
shaped in accordance with divine aud
heavenly pattern. Be ye holy as l am
holy is the command. Jesus Christ is
the example and inspiration pres
ent to all. Some of us have to
work with the most unpromsing
aud untractible materials. But the
glory of the gospel is the infinite pa
thence and hopefulness of God in Christ
to them who will only try and keep try
ing. 1t is work that needs the whole
life, and perhaps ages after this life is
ended. The great thing is that the
work be begun in earnest at the begin
ming, and go on in dependence upon
divine help and assistance. 1t was in
tenderness and pity for mans infirm.
tiles thatGod revealed his glory in Christ,
and only gradually revealed himself to
those whom were prepared to recognize
Him. There is doubtless divine truth
that so often finds utterance in the Old
Testament scriptures, that no man can
see God and live. So, walls and shadow
now in the church conceal from the
bodily eyes and reveal to the eye of the
present God in his sanctuary; so thai
we may gradually get accustomed to the
thought and feeling of that presence
and walk by the lights he vouchsafes
to them who obey him. So that al
the last we may not be abashed ant
consumed by the blaze of glory that sur
rounded the eternal throne. But to-
day, as of old, Jesus Christ, the invisible
comes as the light of the world. To-day
as of old, we separate ourselves into ont
of the two classes; we come to him a
blind that we may see, or we say to our
selves, we see and are made blind. Goo
knows we are all blind exceptas he give
US sight. Christ can only offer it ant
we must accept it or reject it. There il
no middle course. The darkness mus
be pierced by the leans of the Son oi
righteousness or grow deeper and black
er still. Let us all feel and confess ou
blindness, and He, whose word is truth
has said 81 came into the world tha
those which can not, might see"